Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: Report of 4 cases and review of the literature

IntroductionKikuchi-Fujimoto disease or histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis is a benign disease of unknown origin predominantly affecting young women and presenting in the form of cervical lymphadenopathy and/or prolonged fever.Material and methodsThe authors report 4 cases of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease diagnosed in the Internal Medicine Department of Ibn Sina university hospital in Rabat between 2009 and 2010.ResultsThese 4 women with a mean age of 27 ± 8.6 years [16–37] were admitted with febrile syndrome and cervical lymphadenopathy. The diagnosis was based on histological examination of a lymph node biopsy. The disease was associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in one case and actinomycosis in another case. A favourable course was observed in response to corticosteroid therapy in two patients, antibiotic therapy in one patient and antipyretic treatment alone in the fourth patient.ConclusionIn the light of these four cases, the authors discuss the diagnostic difficulties, the modalities of treatment of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease and its clinical course.